Kris Needs

Kris Needs (born 3 July 1954) is a British journalist and author, known for writings on music from the 1970s onwards. He became editor of proto-punk and early punk rock ZigZag magazine in August 1977 at 23 and has since written biographies of musicians and rock stars, including Primal Scream, Joe Strummer and Keith Richards.

Early life In 1972, Needs became the secretary of the Mott The Hoople fan club, the Sea Divers, which he ran from his home in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. In 2015 he wrote the authorised biography of Suicide; Dream Baby Dream: Suicide; A New York Story.

In 2022, he was writing for various UK music magazines, including MOJO, Record Collector, Classic Rock, Prog, Electronic Sound, Vive Le Rock and Shindig!. In May 2017, he launched No More Big Wheels with author Helen Donlon, an online outlet for cultural essays beyond the remits of the magazines.